Coastal Carolina vs. BC

Should I go to Coastal Carolina University or Bridgewater College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Coastal Carolina or BC is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Coastal Carolina University vs. Bridgewater College comparison
Coastal Carolina University Bridgewater College College 3 College 4
Coastal Carolina University Bridgewater College
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Overview

 Coastal Carolina BC
Location Conway, SC Bridgewater, VA
Setting Small City Small Suburban
Enrollment 10,829 1,436
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #767 #603
Religious Affiliation - Church of Brethren - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website coastal.edu bridgewater.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Coastal Carolina BC
Tuition (In State) $11,460 $40,300
Tuition (Out of State) $29,448 $40,300
Room & Board $11,418 $14,370
Avg Net Price $14,453 $19,660
Avg Grant Aid $9,939 $36,350
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 100%

Admission

 Coastal Carolina BC
Applied 18,223 3,984
Admitted 14,613 3,618
Acceptance Rate 80.2% 90.8%
Enrolled % 19% 11.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.61
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/26 28/29
SAT Range 1050/1210 1070/1375
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2026

Academics

 Coastal Carolina BC
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 Coastal Carolina BC
Graduation Rate 46% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,200 $43,100
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,930 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $257 $279

Diversity

 Coastal Carolina BC
% Men 2% 1%
% Women 3% 2%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 68% 73%
% Black 20% 11%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

 Coastal Carolina BC
% In-State 31% 69%
% Out-of-State 68% 25%

Campus

 Coastal Carolina BC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Coastal Carolina University is larger than than BC based on total student enrollment (10,829 students vs. 1,436 students)

Coastal Carolina vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Coastal Carolina or BC?

  • Bridgewater College is 251.7% more expensive to attend than Coastal Carolina for in-state tuition ($40,300.00 vs. $11,460.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 36.9% higher at BC than Coastal Carolina University ($40,300.00 vs. $29,448.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Coastal Carolina University than BC ($14,453 vs. $19,660)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Coastal Carolina University are 25.9% lower than costs at Bridgewater College ($11,418 vs. $14,370)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bridgewater College than Coastal Carolina University (100% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater College students is 265.7% larger than aid received Coastal Carolina University ($36,350 vs. $9,939)

Coastal Carolina vs. BC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Coastal Carolina or BC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between BC or Coastal Carolina .

  • The average SAT score at Bridgewater College (1034) is 25 points higher than at Coastal Carolina (1009)
  • Incoming BC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Coastal Carolina (22)
  • Accepted freshman Coastal Carolina students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at BC (3.61)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (90.8%) than Coastal Carolina (80.2%)

Coastal Carolina vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Coastal Carolina or BC? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between BC and Coastal Carolina.

  • The graduation rate at BC is higher than Coastal Carolina University (59% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Bridgewater College earn on average $900 more per year than Coastal Carolina graduates after ten years. ($43,100 vs. $42,200)
  • Coastal Carolina University students graduate with a $2,070 lower median federal student loan debt than BC graduates. ($24,930 vs. $27,000)
  • Coastal Carolina graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than BC graduates. ($257 vs. $279)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Coastal Carolina students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 54%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/